The mother cathedral of Syro-Malabar Church in India has resumed regular Eucharistic celebrations, close to four years after it was discontinued following a long-drawn dispute over synod-approved rubrics. Source: UCA News.
St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese in the southern state of Kerala held four Eucharistic celebrations (Holy Qurbanas) on August 30, for the first time since November 27, 2022.
The cathedral was closed following physical violence inside it over the liturgy dispute.
A majority of the priests and laity in the archdiocese rejected an order on the Mass approved by the Church’s synod, which demanded that priests turn to the altar during the Eucharistic prayer. The archdiocesan laity and priests wanted the celebrants to face the people throughout the Mass.
The Synod of the Church, the top decision-making body, had taken a similar decision in 1999, but it was shelved due to stiff opposition from bishops, priests and laity from several dioceses.
“We are happy that our cathedral has resumed regular Eucharistic services now,” Riju Kanjookaran, spokesperson of Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT), said.
“From now on, it is going to be a new chapter for the parishioners of the cathedral church and also of the Syro-Malabar Church,” he said on Monday.
The AMT spearheaded the protests against the synod’s August 2021 order mandating that all its 33 dioceses in India and abroad adopt a uniform mode of Mass for greater unity within the Church.
Some 12 dioceses initially opposed it; however, all except Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese implemented it.
The dispute was settled at the synod in August 2025, allowing the archdiocesan priests to continue with their traditional liturgy and asking them to celebrate one Synod-approved Mass in all parishes in the Archdiocese on Sundays and major feast days except in the Cathedral Church.
The laity and the Church authorities have now buried their differences and agreed on a settlement formula exclusively for the cathedral.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, with its close to five million members, is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome.
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Indian cathedral shut over liturgy row reopens after nearly 4 years (UCA News)
